Friday, May 16, 2008

OVERTURE FILMS AND PARAMOUNT VANTAGE TEAM TO CO-FINANCE AND DISTRIBUTE MICHAEL MOORE’S NEXT FILM

(Los Angeles, CA) May 13, 2008—Paramount Vantage and Overture Films will co-finance and distribute Oscar® winner Michael Moore’s next film, a searing and provocative follow up to his groundbreaking 2004 documentary Fahrenheit 9/11. The announcement was made today by Moore, Nick Meyer, President of Paramount Vantage, John Lesher, President of Paramount Film Group, and CEO Chris McGurk and COO Danny Rosett of Overture Films. Paramount Vantage will handle international distribution in all media and Overture will handle domestic distribution in all media. Paramount Vantage will be launching the film into the international marketplace this week in Cannes. The film is scheduled for release in 2009.

Moore has made three of the top five highest-grossing documentaries of all time including Fahrenheit 9/11, 2008 Academy Award® nominee Sicko, and Bowling for Columbine, the Academy Award® winner for Best Documentary in 2003. He has also written and starred in the TV shows TV Nation and The Awful Truth, both of which established his trademark style of presenting serious documentaries in humorous and engaging ways. As with all of Moore’s projects, the subject matter of the new film is being kept under wraps by all the principals.

"It's great to be working again with Chris McGurk and John Lesher,” said Moore. “Both of them have been exceptional to work with in the past and I look forward to their assistance in this new project."

“We are thrilled to be working with Michael again,” said McGurk and Rosett jointly. Adding, “His fearless filmmaking has become an important catalyst for challenging mainstream thoughts and values regarding the important critical issues facing this country and the world. Everyone on the Overture team is delighted to be involved with Michael’s exciting new film.”

“Michael is one of the most inspiring, innovative and thought-provoking filmmakers of our generation,” said Meyer. “With his unquestionable mark on our culture and politics, Moore is renowned and iconic within the international marketplace and we could not be more enthusiastic about this partnership.”

Most of the principals involved have previously worked with Moore – John Lesher represented Moore as one of his agents at Endeavor and was involved in Fahrenheit 9/11, and McGurk and Rosett, while at MGM/United Artists, oversaw the release of Bowling for Columbine.

This announcement marks the second major deal between Paramount Vantage and Overture Films. The two studios entered into an exclusive international distribution deal last year that allows Overture access to Vantage’s international sales division as well as the distribution arm of Paramount Pictures International.

Moore is repped by Ari Emanuel of Endeavor, who brokered the deal on his behalf. Justin Alvarado-Brown oversaw the deal for Overture Films and Jeff Freedman negotiated on behalf of Paramount Vantage.